Accountability
Several years ago under Chancellor Munitz, the CSU began a system-wide strategic planning project known as "Cornerstones." Under Chancellor Reed, the result of this project has evolved into an "Accountability Process" for the CSU and each CSU campus. This process specifies the following areas in which campuses must be accountable:

1. Quality of baccalaureate degree programs
2. Access to the CSU
3. Progression to degree
4. Persistence and graduation
5. Areas of special state need - teacher credentials
6. Relations with K-12
7. Remediation
8. Facilities Utilization
9. University Advancement
10. Quality of graduate and post-baccalaureate programs
11. Faculty scholarship and creative achievement
12. Contributions to community and society
13. Institutional effectiveness

Area 1 focuses upon academic assessment in undergraduate programs. In areas 2-9 specific quantitative measures of campus performance have been specified by the Chancellor's Office. Areas 10-13 are less rigidly specified and campuses have more flexibility in reporting.

CSULB provided its first accountability report in August 2000. The report is also available on the CSULB Strategic Planning web site. At the request of the Chancellor, the campus provided goals relative to area 1 and areas 2-9. These goals specify levels of campus attainment for coming two- and four-year periods. The plan for reporting on areas 10-13 is not yet fully developed by the Chancellor's Office but it is likely that two of these areas will be addressed in each of the upcoming accountability reports, due in fall 2002 and fall 2004.

To date, CSULB has responded to these accountability requests by calling on an ad hoc group of campus faculty members and administrators with expertise relevant to respective goals. For example, in spring 2001 the chair of the Policies and Educational Planning Council drafted the goals for quality of baccalaureate degree programs. Draft documents created by this team have been reviewed by the Dean's Council, the President's Cabinet, the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate, and the President before going to the Chancellor. The Director of Strategic Planning manages this process.

In the coming academic year, the vice presidents have agreed to work toward integrating the demands created by the accountability process into the campus planning processes. Because the accountability indicators are largely quantitative, campus attainment of specific goals -- or lack of attainment -- will be unambiguous.

Thus, it is quite important to the campus to have effective planning to ensure that accountability goals are attained. While it is possible to take issue with the specific measures of the accountability goals developed by the Chancellor's Office, most observers will agree that the planning areas delineated by the accountability goals are central to any public institution of higher education and therefore deserving of careful campus attention.

<top of page>